SEE HER DIE (21 page)

And no one would ever hurt her again.

Elizabeth couldn’t remember ever being this happy. Not even when she thought she had the world by the tail after Brian’s proposition that she come away with him. A flash of regret stung her at the memory that he was dead, but she forced it away. She’d cared for him, was sorry that he was dead, but never in her life had she felt the way she did at this moment about any man.

She studied Mac’s profile as he parked in front of the building where Boomer was already at work. He’d insisted that he would see her to work, and Duncan would take over from there for a few hours. After all, Mac had a case to solve. But he wasn’t about to leave her vulnerable, he promised. A warm glow started deep inside her at the idea of how protective he was of her. She’d never known that feeling of security with anyone except her father.

This was good. She knew it with complete certainty.

She smiled.

This was very good.

She didn’t want it to end. Ever.

Mac switched off the engine and turned to her, propping his arm on the back of the seat. “I’ve debated whether I should tell you this or not, but I feel like I have to.”

Fear trickled into her veins. “What?” She didn’t want to hear anything bad. She wanted desperately to hang on to this happy moment.

“The killer left behind some evidence at each scene. DNA analysis is back on the first two victims.”

She nodded, not sure exactly what that meant.

“All the victims were sexually assaulted.” She jerked visibly and he winced, clearly not happy at having to tell her this.

“Do you think it was Brian?” As much as she had hated him at times she couldn’t believe he was a rapist, much less a cold blooded killer.

Mac hesitated before answering, and in that moment her instincts warned that it was far worse than that.

“The DNA was a perfect match to Harrison’s.”

Shock plowed through her. For a moment she couldn’t breathe. “But he’s dead,” was all she could say.

Mac nodded. “Yes, he is. That’s confirmed.” He searched her face and she knew the pain on his was related to the anxiety he saw on hers. “Did you know he had an identical twin brother?”

That news startled her all over again. “No. I mean yes. Annabelle told us he had a brother who’d died, but she didn’t mention he was a twin.”

“They grew up bouncing around in foster care. Both managed to turn a bad beginning into bright futures.” Mac tapped the steering wheel as if contemplating how much more he should tell her. “His brother reportedly died four years ago.”

Just when she’d thought nothing else could shock her. Ned had never mentioned anything about a brother. “If he’s dead and Ned is...”

Mac leveled his gaze on hers. “Ned Harrison is dead,” he confirmed. “Don’t even go down that road. He’s definitely dead. But we haven’t confirmed the brother’s death. We’re working on it. I just wanted you to know that someone out there might be out for vengeance. If he thinks you or one of the other women killed his brother.”

No further explanation was necessary. “I get it.” Icicles formed in her chest. “So I should be on the lookout for a carbon copy of Ned.” This was too much. One Ned Harrison was more than enough.

“Not necessarily,” Mac countered. “He may have altered his appearance, surgically and otherwise. If he faked his death, there’s likely a reason and being recognized would not be a part of his plan, I suspect.”

She exhaled an exasperated breath. “So basically he could be anyone.”

Mac nodded. “Basically.
If
he’s alive.”

His fingers trailed along her hairline, sending a delicious stir of sensations through her as he tucked a stray tendril behind her ear. It didn’t pay to braid one’s hair while being kissed by a man like Collin MacBride. She probably had dozens of wisps hanging about.

“Don’t take any chances, Elizabeth. Stay close to Boomer. He’s safe. He was in prison when Harrison’s brother supposedly died, and besides, unless the identical twin was not identical, Boomer’s far too tall to be him. And don’t wander out of Duncan’s watch. I need you to be careful while I go do what I have to.” He shook his head and looked away for a moment. “To be honest with you, I’m tempted to arrest you and force you to go into protective custody—”

“You promised,” she interrupted. “I have to work. Finishing this project is too important. It can make or break me.”

“I know. I won’t break that promise.” His gaze found hers once more. “But I need you to swear to me you won’t take any chances. We can’t be sure who we’re looking for here. It could be someone from the Gentlemen’s Association who had a thing for Harrison or who wanted him shut down.”

“I won’t take any chances, I swear.”

Still not happy about her decision, Mac walked her to the door of the loft. Boomer promised not to allow her out of his sight. Duncan took up watch right outside the door.

Elizabeth was pretty sure she wouldn’t soon forget Mac’s goodbye kiss. If the desperation behind it was any indication, he was as deep in this as she was.

And she was in way over her head.

~*~

Around lunchtime loud voices erupted in the corridor outside the loft. Boomer and Elizabeth exchanged questioning looks. But then Elizabeth recognized the voice railing at Duncan.

Annabelle.

Elizabeth put her paint roller aside and rushed into the corridor to intervene. In one glance she summed up the situation. Duncan was hell bent on doing his job protecting Elizabeth, and Annabelle was equally determined to see her.

“It’s okay, Agent Duncan,” Elizabeth said quickly. “Annabelle’s a friend.”

Giving the resigned man a triumphant glare, Annabelle stormed past him and into the loft with Elizabeth.

“We have to talk,” she whispered from the corner of her mouth. Her gaze flicked to Boomer on the other side of the loft.

“Sure.” Nerves jangling, Elizabeth ushered her toward the one area that was separated from the main part of the loft—the bathroom.

Once within the confines of the smaller room, Annabelle blurted her statement in what was probably an attempt at whispering. “Brian Novak is dead.”

Elizabeth nodded solemnly. “I know.”

Annabelle took her hands in hers. “I’m so sorry, Elizabeth. I had to be sure you were all right. I know how close the two of you once were.” She glanced toward the open door. “I don’t want you to worry, dear. I didn’t tell them anything about the other night.”

A frown of confusion worked its way across Elizabeth’s brow. “You didn’t tell who?”

Annabelle rolled her gray eyes in impatience. “That brutish Detective Brannigan. He spoke to me and to Gloria. She called, extremely upset. I rushed over here immediately, since you weren’t answering your cell.”

Dammit. She’d totally forgotten her phone. Mac had consumed her thoughts. “I appreciate that you wanted to protect me, but you didn’t have to worry or hide anything about the other night in Ned’s office.”

Annabelle squeezed, her hands knowingly. “Oh, but you’re wrong. That ridiculous detective thinks you killed Brian. He thinks you killed Ned, too!”

A little jolt of shock rumbled through her. “What makes you think that?”

The older woman huffed in exasperation. “Why, the imbecile said as much. He was rambling on about how the FBI had been watching you from the beginning and how they’d taken the case away from him.” She released Elizabeth so she could throw up her hands. “He was furious with MacBride for horning in on his prime suspect. But MacBride told Brannigan he couldn’t handle you so he was taking over.”

“When did MacBride say all this?” This didn’t make sense. Mac wanted to protect her. Brannigan was wrong. He had to be.

“Talk to Gloria,” Annabelle urged. “She came away from the meeting with the same feeling. You’ve got to call that criminal lawyer you put on retainer before you find yourself appearing before a grand jury.”

“I will.” Elizabeth’s words were thin. It took all the strength she could rally to hold back the misery mushrooming inside her. “I’ll call him today.”

Apparently satisfied with that assurance, Annabelle warned her again to be careful and left in the same rush she’d arrived in. Agent Duncan looked none too happy about the visit, but Elizabeth didn’t care. Right now the only thing she cared about was confirming the worst.

If Mac was using her to close his case... she squeezed her eyes shut and fought the tears. She couldn’t believe that just yet. Mac had protected her. Made love to her as no one else ever had. She’d opened up to him, been the wanton woman she’d secretly longed to be with the right man. It couldn’t have been a lie.

She wouldn’t let it be.

Annabelle was upset. She’d probably taken it all out of context. Elizabeth knew from experience that Brannigan could be a brash SOB. He could be trying to make Mac look bad.

She would not lose trust in Mac—not without solid proof, anyway.

~*~

Elizabeth got another hour of hard work behind her before she lost the war with her emotions. She couldn’t ignore what she had to do any longer. She gave Boomer instructions for the rest of the day. Not that he really needed any. He worked well on his own and was good to take the initiative.

Now came the hard part. She exited the loft and found Duncan propped on the window ledge at the end of the corridor, sipping coffee from a thermos. The window’s view wasn’t anything to write home about, just the uncommonly wide alleyway between this old industrial building and the next, but at least it allowed sunlight into the otherwise dark corridor.

“I need to go to Gloria Weston’s office.”

Duncan stood abruptly. “I’m not sure that’s such a good idea. We’ll have to check with Mac on that.”

Elizabeth wasn’t about to be thwarted. “You can either take me now or I’ll use Boomer’s van.”

“Let me give Mac a quick call.” Duncan withdrew his cell and entered the number. After thirty seconds or so it was obvious he wasn’t going to reach Mac. “He must be on another call.”

“I’d like to go now, please,” she informed him, leaving no room for argument. She was going to Gloria’s office one way or another. Something wasn’t right. Whatever it was hummed just beneath the surface. Elizabeth couldn’t quite grasp it but the bad feeling wouldn’t let go. She kept replaying the conversation she’d had with Annabelle. Something felt off.

Duncan finally relented. “All right. I guess it won’t hurt.”

Half an hour later they were on the elevator headed toward the eighteenth floor and Gloria’s office. Duncan fit right in with all the suits and ties. Elizabeth, however, stood out like a sore thumb. Her jeans and tee-shirt, both dappled with white paint looked vastly out of place.

“You can wait here,” she said to Duncan when they reached Gloria’s door.

“I’ll need to check it out first.”

Blowing out a puff of frustration, Elizabeth stood back and allowed him to knock and then enter Gloria’s office.

“Miss Young would like to see you.” She heard him say. Wow, finally, she had her own secretary, as well as bodyguard. All it had taken was a few unsolved murders.

He stepped back into the corridor as Gloria peeked out from her office, her eyes wide with surprise. “What’s going on?”

Elizabeth shot Duncan a look that told him to stay put and quickly followed Gloria into her office, then closed the door behind them. “You know Brian is dead.”

Gloria nodded grimly. “I can’t believe it. Do you know they think he’s the one who’s been killing all the women?”

Elizabeth didn’t remember Annabelle saying that. “They do?”

“It’s hard to believe, I know. But that’s the impression Detective Brannigan gave me.”

“But he didn’t say that?” Elizabeth pressed. She had to know how this was going down. Had to understand her position in all this.

Gloria frowned thoughtfully for a moment. “No, he didn’t exactly say it. I just got those vibes from him and the slant of his questions.”

“Did he say anything about me?” Elizabeth held her breath, not sure she could cope with the answer if it matched what Annabelle had said.

Gloria flipped her hands palms up in a noncommittal gesture. “He did mention you.” She dropped onto the edge of her desk. “It was odd. He didn’t exactly accuse you of anything, but I got the impression he somehow thought you and Brian were in on this together.” She pulled a cocky face. “But I set him straight on that one. You and Brian hadn’t been in on anything together in months.”

Her words warmed Elizabeth. “Thanks.” She moistened her lips, then gnawed on her lower one for a second. “Annabelle came by. She was extremely upset. She said Brannigan considered me the prime suspect in Ned’s as well as Brian’s murder. And that he’d gotten the impression the FBI thought so, as well. She...” Elizabeth shrugged. “I don’t know. The more I think about it, the weirder the conversation seems.”

Frowning, Gloria shook her head slowly. “He didn’t say anything like that to me, but he did ask a lot of questions about you and Ned and you and Brian.” Her frown deepened. “Now that you mention it, he did lean heavily toward tying you to both men. He kept bringing up your name each time he talked about Ned or Brian’s murder.”

That too-familiar chill crept into Elizabeth’s bones. “But he didn’t mention the FBI’s thoughts on the matter?”

“No. I’m sure he didn’t.” Gloria shrugged. “Then again, I made it clear that you and I are friends. Maybe he held back, knowing I’d likely tell you whatever he said.”

That was true. Since there was no reason for him to suspect Elizabeth and Annabelle had any sort of relationship, he would likely speak more freely around her. Anxiety coiled in her stomach. Still, she had no real proof against Mac.

“And don’t sweat Annabelle. I’ve gotten the occasional creepy vibe from her, too. She is a lawyer, after all.” Gloria rubbed her forehead with her thumb and forefinger. “I just wish this were over.”

“Me, too.” Elizabeth leaned against the corner of the desk next to her friend. Maybe that was what had been digging at her. A creepy vibe was a damned accurate description. But she supposed Annabelle couldn’t help how she was. Besides, Elizabeth had bigger problems than trying to figure out the woman. “There’s something I have to ask you, Gloria.”